Triphala

Triphala ("the three fruits") is the formulation made from the fruits of haritaki (harad), bibhitaki (baheda) and amalaki (amla). The Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, the materia medica section of Bhavamishra's Bhavaprakasha, describes it in two verses of the Haritakyadi varga, straight after the sections on the three fruits: what it is made of, its names, and its properties and uses (p. 266, verses 42–43).

What it is made of

पथ्याबिभीतधात्रीणां फलैः स्यात्त्रिफला समैः । फलत्रिकञ्च त्रिफला सा वरा च प्रकीर्तिता ॥ ४२ ॥

The verse says that the fruits of pathya (haritaki), bibhita (bibhitaki) and dhatri (amalaki), taken in equal parts, make triphala (p. 266, verse 42).

Names

The same verse gives three names: Triphala "the three fruits", Phalatrika "the trio of fruits", and Vara "the excellent one" (p. 266, verse 42).

Properties and uses

त्रिफला कफपित्तघ्नी मेहकुष्ठहरा सरा । चक्षुष्या दीपनी रुच्या विषमज्वरनाशिनी ॥ ४३ ॥

• Doshas: removes kapha and pitta
• Actions: moves the bowels (sara), good for the eyes (chakshushya), kindles digestion (dipana), gives a taste for food (ruchya)
• Used in: prameha, skin disease (kushtha) and intermittent fever (vishama jvara)

The verse does not list a separate rasa, guna, virya or vipaka for triphala; those are given for each fruit in its own section (p. 266, verse 43).

The three fruits

Fruit	Name in the verse	Hindi	Its own section
Haritaki	pathya	harad	verses 1–35, pp. 258–262
Bibhitaki	bibhita	baheda	verses 35–37, pp. 263–264
Amalaki	dhatri	amla	verses 38–41, p. 265

(p. 266, verse 42)

Notes from the commentary

The Hindi commentary of this edition adds a note on the proportions (p. 267):

• Everyone agrees that triphala is haritaki, bibhitaki and amalaki together, but practitioners differ on how much of each to take.
• Some take one part haritaki, two parts bibhitaki and three parts amalaki; others take one, two and four parts.
• Many count the fruits instead: one haritaki, two bibhitaki and four amalaki.
• The commentator points out that, counted this way with ordinary amla (not the large Banarasi kind), the three come to about the same weight, which matches the equal parts of the verse.

Sources

• Bhavamishra, Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, Haritakyadi varga, verses 42–43: p. 266 (scan and text on SarvaKosh)
• Vidyotini Hindi commentary, note on proportions: p. 267

This page describes what the granth says. It is not medical advice; consult a qualified vaidya before using any remedy.